Disposable gloves, for example, disposable examination gloves, are widely used as a protective measure to insulate hands from the objects handled by the wearer of gloves. To allow ease in handling objects, disposable gloves are made of thin and elastic material to minimize the space between the skin and the glove. Due to poor air circulation resulting from tight insulation, hand sweating is a common problem among glove wearers. Prolonged wearing of disposable gloves causes a moist environment on the surface of the hand that allows viruses, bacteria, yeast and fungus to grow and multiply. Itchiness is a frequent result of wearing disposable examination gloves for extended periods.
Powders are commonly used on the inner surface of gloves to alleviate sweating and to make donning, wearing and removal of gloves easier. However, continuous sweating can easily overwhelm the thin layer of powder that is commonly attached to the surface of the glove. This is especially the case when continuous and frequent wearing of gloves is required. For example, dentists may continuously wear gloves during a dental surgical procedure for up to 40 minutes. In addition, hand washing is necessary after the use of powdered gloves. Frequent hand washing to remove powders may also cause excess dryness of the skin.
The need for disposable gloves that can prevent adverse side effects caused by extensive use is apparent. Various patents disclose different types of gloves that contain lotions. During glove use the lotions come into contact human skin and condition the skins. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,202 discloses a moisturizing glove that contains a middle layer saturated with lotion. The porous inner layer allows the lotion to pass through and contact the skin. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,186,445 and 4,185,330 disclose gloves that have inner lining made of a lotion absorbent material. By impregnating the lotion onto the absorbent material, the lotion can condition the hands during application of the gloves.
A common feature of the above disclosures is the use of multiple layers in the glove design. Compared to single layer disposable gloves, the complex design of multiple layer gloves makes production far more costly. Most importantly, the thickness of the layers and the complicated structures of the gloves hinder hand flexibility when the glove wearer tries to pick up and manipulate objects. Such multiple layer designs are suitable for moisturizing hands, but are not suitable for manipulating objects, especially for professions that require handling of fine tasks with precision.
Disposable gloves are generally made of three types of materials: natural rubber latex, acrylonitrile, and polyvinyl chloride.
Natural rubber latex is sensitive to oil-based substances. Prolonged contact between latex and oil-based substance can adversely affect durability and flexibility of the latex material. Most commercially available lotions contain oil-based substances. The use of lotions in prior arts will substantially shorten the shelf life of a natural rubber glove.
There is therefore a need for low cost disposable gloves that can apply moisturizing and therapeutic substances to the hands during the glove use without leaving a greasy feel or look to the skin, while at the same time, retain the characteristics and functions of conventional single layer gloves.
Some embodiments of the present invention satisfy these needs. Some embodiments of the present invention include a novel disposable glove with Aloe Vera uniformly applied to the inner surface of the glove through a dehydration process, and a method for making such a glove.
One object of some embodiments of the present invention is to condition and soothe the hands during glove use.
Another object of some embodiments of the present invention is to produce a glove that is equivalent to a single layer glove in the user""s ability to pick up and manipulate objects.
Still another object of some embodiments of the present invention is to prevent growth of bacteria, viruses, yeast and fungi on the hands, which become more active in a wet environment resulting from sweating during prolonged or frequent wearing of gloves.
A related object is to cause the anti-microbial substance to dissociate and release from the glove surface in response to the degree of wetness of hand.
A further object is to preserve the shelf life of glove by using natural non-oil based substance and to preserve the activity of the therapeutic substance by keeping the substance in a dehydrated state.
The above objects are accomplished, for example, by applying Aloe Vera evenly to the inner surface of a disposable examination glove through dehydration.
The objects are further accomplished, for example, by a method of manufacturing the Aloe Vera glove. The disposable gloves are first treated with chlorine solution to wash off any powders, extract soluble substances in the composite material, and kill microorganisms. After drying, the gloves are turned inside out and dipped into a prepared Aloe Vera solution to saturate the outer surface. The gloves are then dried in a tumbling heater within a controlled narrow range of temperature between 45xc2x0 C. and 65xc2x0 C., and for a specific length of time. This causes water to evaporate and the Aloe Vera to evenly coat the glove surface. After cooling to room temperature, the gloves are inverted so that the side with Aloe Vera coating is facing inside.
One embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing protective gloves. The method comprises forming a glove on a mold; applying a solution that includes Aloe Vera onto the glove while the glove is on the mold; at least partially drying the solution that has been applied onto the glove while the glove is on the mold; and removing the glove from the mold.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing protective gloves. The method includes applying a solution that includes Aloe Vera onto a plurality of gloves; at least after beginning of the applying step, tumbling the plurality of gloves to expose more surface areas of the gloves to application of the solution; and dehydrating solution that has been applied to the plurality of gloves; wherein the plurality of gloves become coated with a dried coating that includes Aloe Vera.